AP Rankings - 1988-1989
17 polls from November 21, 1988 to March 13, 1989; 30 schools ranked. Tennessee finished No. 1, holding it for 8 polls.
| School | Nov 21 | Nov 28 | Dec 5 | Dec 12 | Dec 19 | Dec 26 | Jan 2 | Jan 9 | Jan 16 | Jan 23 | Jan 30 | Feb 6 | Feb 13 | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Mar 6 | Mar 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Clemson | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Colorado | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Duke | - | - | - | 20 | 19 | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Georgia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Illinois State | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Iowa | 5 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| La Salle | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Long Beach State | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Louisiana Tech | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| LSU | 19 | - | 16 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 20 | - | - | - | - |
| Maryland | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Mississippi | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| NC State | 16 | 15 | - | - | - | - | 19 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
| Ohio State | 12 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | 20 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
| Old Dominion | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | 19 | 19 | 20 |
| Purdue | - | 16 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 15 |
| Rutgers | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - |
| San Diego State | 20 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 16 | - | - | - |
| South Carolina | - | - | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| St. Joseph's | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Stanford | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Stephen F. Austin | - | - | 20 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Texas | 3 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| UNLV | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| USC | 17 | 14 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Virginia | 11 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 20 | - | - |
| Washington | 13 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Western Kentucky | 14 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 18 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 |